Sane: Health impacts must be raised

Although the current drug classification system needs to be reviewed, while it exists it must be used to send warnings about cannabis and mental health, according to the mental health charity Sane.

Its comments follow the announcement by the government that it is to reclassify cannabis as a class B drug despite the advice of experts to keep it as class C.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs said while it thought classification should stay the same the government needs to begin a public education campaign about the health effects of cannabis.

Sane chief executive Marjorie Wallace said the charity is "glad" this education recommendation has been made.

"Whether or not scientists have yet proved that cannabis alone causes psychiatric illness, we have daily evidence that it can trigger frightening psychotic episodes, relapse, and in some cases a life-long mental condition such as schizophrenia," she added.

"It can also rob developing young minds of their potential and wreck their families' and their own futures."

Ms Wallace continued: "We believe there are too many casualties to await the results of further education and research.

"We would welcome a review of the whole drug classification system. We do not wish to increase penalties, but while we live within the present system we need to give out an uncompromising signal about the specific links between cannabis and mental illness."